Rullkötter, Jürgen; Littke, Ralf; Radke, Matthias; Disko, Ulrich; Horsfield, Brian; Thurow, Juergen W (1992): Petrography and geochemistry of organic matter in Triassic and Cretaceous sediments from the Wombat and Exmouth Plateau [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.759934, Supplement to: Rullkötter, J et al. (1992): Petrography and geochemistry of organic matter in Triassic and Cretaceous deep-sea sediments from the Wombat and Exmouth Plateaus and nearby abyssal plains off Northwest Australia. In: von Rad, U; Haq, BU; et al. (eds.), Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program), 122, 317-333, https://doi.org/10.2973/odp.proc.sr.122.135.1992
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Abstract:
Triassic (Carnian-Rhaetian) continental margin sediments from the Wombat Plateau off northwest Australia (Sites 759, 760, 761, and 764) contain mainly detrital organic matter of terrestrial higher plant origin. Although deposited in a nearshore deltaic environment, little liptinitic material was preserved. The dominant vitrinites and inertinites are hydrogen-lean, and the small quantities of extractable bitumen contain w-alkanes and bacterial hopanoid hydrocarbons as the most dominant single gas-chromatography-amenable compounds.
Lower Cretaceous sediments on the central Exmouth Plateau (Sites 762 and 763) farther south in general have an organic matter composition similar to that in the Wombat Plateau sediments with the exception of a smaller particle size of vitrinites and inertinites, indicating more distal transport and probably deposition in deeper water. Nevertheless, organic matter preservation is slightly better than in the Triassic sediments. Long-chain fatty acids, as well as aliphatic ketones and alcohols, are common constituents in the Lower Cretaceous sediments in addition to n-alkanes and hopanoid hydrocarbons.
Thin, black shale layers at the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary, although present at several sites (Sites 762 and 763 on the Exmouth Plateau, Site 765 in the Argo Abyssal Plain, and Site 766 on the continental margin of the Gascoyne Abyssal Plain), are particularly enriched in organic matter only at Site 763 (up to 26%). These organic-matter-rich layers contain mainly bituminite of probable fecal-pellet origin. Considering the high organic carbon content, the moderate hydrogen indices of 350-450 milligrams of hydrocarbon-type material per gram of Corg, the maceral composition, and the low sedimentation rates in the middle Cretaceous, we suggest that these black shales were accumulated in an area of oxygen-depleted bottom-water mass (oceanwide reduced circulation?) underlying an oxygen-rich water column (in which most of the primary biomass other than fecal pellets is destroyed) and a zone of relatively high bioproductivity. Differences in organic matter accumulation at the Cenomanian/Turonian boundary at different sites off northwest Australia are ascribed to regional variations in primary bioproductivity.
Project(s):
Ocean Drilling Program (ODP)
Coverage:
Median Latitude: -18.176521 * Median Longitude: 114.704389 * South-bound Latitude: -20.587000 * West-bound Longitude: 110.454100 * North-bound Latitude: -15.976000 * East-bound Longitude: 117.575200
Date/Time Start: 1988-07-09T07:00:00 * Date/Time End: 1988-10-26T00:00:00
Event(s):
122-759B * Latitude: -16.954000 * Longitude: 115.560500 * Date/Time Start: 1988-07-09T07:00:00 * Date/Time End: 1988-07-11T21:15:00 * Elevation: -2103.0 m * Penetration: 308 m * Recovery: 129.6 m * Location: South Indian Ridge, South Indian Ocean * Campaign: Leg122 * Basis: Joides Resolution * Method/Device: Drilling/drill rig (DRILL) * Comment: 39 cores; 308 m cored; 0 m drilled; 42.1 % recovery
122-760A * Latitude: -16.922000 * Longitude: 115.541300 * Date/Time Start: 1988-07-11T23:15:00 * Date/Time End: 1988-07-14T13:00:00 * Elevation: -1981.0 m * Penetration: 284.9 m * Recovery: 196.38 m * Location: South Indian Ridge, South Indian Ocean * Campaign: Leg122 * Basis: Joides Resolution * Method/Device: Drilling/drill rig (DRILL) * Comment: 38 cores; 284.9 m cored; 0 m drilled; 68.9 % recovery
122-760B * Latitude: -16.922000 * Longitude: 115.541100 * Date/Time Start: 1988-07-14T13:00:00 * Date/Time End: 1988-07-19T00:45:00 * Elevation: -1981.0 m * Penetration: 506 m * Recovery: 123.02 m * Location: South Indian Ridge, South Indian Ocean * Campaign: Leg122 * Basis: Joides Resolution * Method/Device: Drilling/drill rig (DRILL) * Comment: 29 cores; 506 m cored; 0 m drilled; 24.3 % recovery
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
3 datasets
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Datasets listed in this publication series
- Rullkötter, J; Littke, R; Radke, M et al. (1992): (Table 3) Terrigenous, marine, and total macerals and total pyrit content in Wombat and Exmouth Plateau sediments. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.759931
- Rullkötter, J; Littke, R; Radke, M et al. (1992): (Table 1) Organic geochemistry of sediments from Wombat and Exmouth Plateau. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.759928
- Rullkötter, J; Littke, R; Radke, M et al. (1992): (Table 2) Lithology of Wombat and Exmouth Plateau sediments. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.759929